Stages To Become A Knight

Middle Ages

Becoming a Medieval Knight

History >> Middle Ages for Kids

In that location were two means that a homo could become a knight during the Middle Ages. The kickoff was earning the right on the battleground. If a soldier fought specially bravely during a battle or war, he may be awarded knighthood by the male monarch, a lord, or fifty-fifty another knight. The second way was to become an apprentice to a knight and earn the championship through hard work and grooming.

Painting of a knight dubbing
The Accolade by Edmund Leighton

Who could become a knight?

No dubiousness many young men growing up in the Middle Ages dreamed of becoming a knight, but only a few could afford to go knights. The first requirement of a knight was someone who could afford a knight's weapons, armor, and war horse. These items weren't cheap and only the very rich could pay for them. Knights were besides people from the noble or aloof classes.

Page

When a boy, or more than likely his parents, decided that he wanted to become a knight, he would go to live in the household of a knight when he was seven years old. There he would serve the knight as a page. As a young folio he basically was a servant for the knight, performing tasks such as serving meals, cleaning his dress, and carrying messages. While working for the knight's household, the page learned the proper way to comport and good manners.

The page also began to train to fight. He would practise with other pages using wooden shields and swords. He also would offset to learn how to ride a horse using no hands and conveying a lance.

Squire

Effectually the historic period of fifteen, the page would go a squire. Every bit a squire, the immature man would have a new set of tasks. He would take care of the knight'due south horses, clean his armor and weapons, and accompany the knight to the battlefield.

Squires had to be ready to fight. They trained with existent weapons and were taught fighting skills by the knight. They had to exist in expert shape and stiff. Squires continued to do their horsemanship, perfecting their skills at jousting and fighting from the saddle. Nigh time to come knights worked every bit a squire for five or half dozen years.

Dubbing Ceremony

If a squire had proven his bravery and skill at battle, he would get a knight at the age of twenty-1. He gained the title of knight at a "dubbing" ceremony. At this ceremony he would kneel before some other knight, lord, or king who would then tap the squire on the shoulder with his sword making him a knight.

At the ceremony, the new knight would have an oath to honor and protect his king and the church. He would exist presented with a pair of riding spurs and a sword.

Interesting Facts about Condign a Knight

Squires often learned about castle and siege warfare from their knight. They would need to know how to defend their own castle as well as how to attack an enemy's castle.
The discussion "squire" comes from a French word pregnant "shield-bearer."
Wealthy knights would have had several pages and squires to help them.
Squires would practice jousting using a wooden dummy called a quintain.
Not all squires were made knights through an elaborate ceremony. Some were awarded knighthood on the battlefield.
Before the dubbing ceremony to go a knight, squires were required to spend the night alone in prayer.

Activities